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  T he Silent Valley project was a proposed hydroelectric dam across the Kunthipuzha river in Kerala, India, that would have submerged a large area of pristine evergreen forest in the Silent Valley region.  The project was opposed by a social and environmental movement that started in the 1970s and lasted for over a decade. The movement was led by various groups and individuals, such as the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), a voluntary organization of scientists and writers, the poet Sugatha Kumari, the environmentalist S. P. Godrej, and the activist Medha Patkar. The movement used various methods to raise awareness and protest against the project, such as letters, petitions, seminars, rallies, publications, and legal actions. The movement succeeded in convincing the government to cancel the project in 1983 and declare the Silent Valley as a national park in 1986123 .  The Silent Valley project was a controversial issue that sparked a debate on the trade...

  Fig.: Appiko Movement T he Appiko movement was a forest conservation movement in India that started in the 1980s. The movement was similar to the Chipko movement, which also involved people hugging trees to prevent them from being cut down by loggers. The Appiko movement was mainly active in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, where the natural forests were threatened by monoculture plantations of teak and eucalyptus. The movement was founded and led by environmental activist Panduranga Hegde, who was inspired by Sundarlal Bahuguna, a leader of the Chipko movement.  The aim of the movement was to protect the biodiversity and livelihoods of the local communities that depended on the forests.  The Appiko movement succeeded in achieving some of its objectives, such as:  Stopping the felling of green trees in some areas and forcing the government to withdraw the logging contracts.  Promoting afforestation and reforestation activities on degraded la...

 Unfortunately it has to say that main threats to biodiversity are Humans. Humans are fully depended on the natural resources but it is possible to use all these resource without harming the nature, without disrupting the biodiversity, without harming the habitat and the most important thing is not to waste natural resources. We should consume the resources till a limited amount and conserve the resources for our future generation and for other species too; by doing this it is possible that we can keep our climate safe, we can prevent our biodiversity by being threat. By destroying habitat, we eliminate not only prominent species but also many obscure ones of which we may not even be aware. Over harvesting of food species is probably the most obvious way in which humans directly destroy biological resources. There are many, ancient examples of human disturbances of natural systems. Once-fertile areas have become deserts because of frail forestry, grazing, and agricultural practices...

  Biodiversity encompasses the complexity and richness of life on our planet, from the tiniest microbe to the mightiest tree, and from the simplest ecosystem to the most intricate web of relationships. The United Nations Environment Programme  (UNEP) defines biodiversity as "the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part". Biodiversity is the vast array of all the species of plants, animals, insects and the microorganisms inhabiting the earth either in the aquatic or the terrestrial habitats. The human civilization depends directly or indirectly upon this biodiversity for their very basic needs of survival–food, fodder, fuel, fertilizer, timber, liquor, rubber, leather, medicines and several raw materials. This diversity’s the condition for the long-term sustainability of the environment, continuity of life on earth and the maintenance of its integrity....

  HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT   Hazardous waste treatment involves various processes to reduce the toxicity, volume, or concentration of hazardous substances to minimize their impact on human health and the environment.  Different treatment method include:   Physical method: The physical method involves the separation or removal of hazardous components from waste streams through the process of sedimentation or filtration.    Chemical treatment: Chemical processes to treat hazardous waste include some of the processes like neutralize, oxidize, reduce, or otherwise change the composition of hazardous waste.   Biological method: Microorganisms break down organic hazardous wastes during aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Some of the methods are composting, aerobic and anaerobic decomposition, activated sludge, enzyme treatment, etc.   Thermal method: High temperatures are used to destroy hazardous waste. Incineration, boiling, auto...

  Hazardous waste is any waste material with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having harmful effects on human health or the environment. Hazardous wastes are those that may contain harmful and toxic substances like heavy metals that are generated from Industries, hospitals and even some types of domestic waste. The concern towards hazardous waste management was stimulated by undesired massive health effects that were noticed in the neighborhood of Niagara Falls in New York State in the United States in the 1970s. These wastes could be corrosive, inflammable, explosive, or react when exposed to other materials. Some hazardous wastes are highly toxic to the environment including humans, animals, and plants. It comprises the waste generated during the manufacturing processes of the commercial products such as industries involved in petroleum refining, production of pharmaceuticals, petroleum, paint, aluminum, electronic products etc. Hazardous Waste managem...

What is a Food Chain? A food chain is a series of organisms that eat other organisms as a source of food and energy. It is a linear sequence of organisms that shows how energy and nutrients are transferred from one species to another through consumption. Components of a Food Chain 1. Producers : Plants, algae, and some types of bacteria that produce their own food through photosynthesis. 2. Primary Consumers: Herbivores that eat producers, such as insects, rabbits, and deer. 3. Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that eat primary consumers, such as mice, birds, and small mammals. 4. Tertiary Consumers: Apex predators that eat secondary consumers, such as lions, tigers, and bears. 5. Decomposers: Organisms that break down dead organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and detritivores. Types of Food Chains 1. Grassland Food Chain: Starts with grasses and ends with apex predators like lions. 2. Ocean Food Chain: Starts with phytoplankton and ends with apex predators like sharks. 3...

What is Global Warming? Global warming , also known as climate change, is the gradual increase in the overall temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, primarily caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, into the atmosphere. Causes of Global Warming 1. Burning of Fossil Fuels : The burning of coal, oil, and gas for energy releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 2. Deforestation : The clearance of forests for agriculture, urbanization, and other purposes releases carbon dioxide and reduces the ability of forests to act as carbon sinks. 3. Agriculture : The production of meat, especially beef, and other animal products leads to the release of methane and nitrous oxide. 4. Industrial Processes : The production of cement, steel, and other industrial processes release large amounts of greenhouse gases. Effects of Global Warming 1. Rising Sea Levels : The melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and the expansi...

What is Climate Change? Climate change refers to the long-term warming of the planet due to an increase in average global temperature , primarily caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, into the atmosphere. Causes of Climate Change 1. Burning of Fossil Fuels : The burning of coal, oil, and gas for energy releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 2. Deforestation : The clearance of forests for agriculture, urbanization, and other purposes releases carbon dioxide and reduces the ability of forests to act as carbon sinks. 3. Agriculture : The production of meat, especially beef, and other animal products leads to the release of methane and nitrous oxide. 4. Industrial Processes : The production of cement, steel, and other industrial processes release large amounts of greenhouse gases. Effects of Climate Change 1. Rising Sea Levels : The melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and the expansion of seawater ...